Adam Hartley | CHR News Desk
Dhaka, August 24: Severe flooding in Bangladesh has left at least 18 people dead and nearly 5 million affected, as the country struggles to cope with both a natural disaster and ongoing political turmoil. The floods have devastated 11 districts, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
Kamrul Hasan, secretary of the ministry, expressed concern over the widespread impact: “We’ve lost 18 lives in just three days due to these sudden floods, which have affected nearly 5 million people. The situation is heartbreaking.”
Several rivers across the southeastern and northeastern regions are dangerously high, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC). “The Kushiyara, Manu, Khowai, Gumti, and Feni rivers are all above danger levels. This is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years,” Hasan added.
In Comilla’s Burichang upazila, the flooding has been catastrophic. Eleven members of one family are trapped on the roof of their home with just one litre of drinking water. “My family has been stuck up there for three days now, surviving on just one litre of water. We’ve tried everything, but the water is too strong to reach them,” said Nazmul Hossain, a desperate family member. “It’s unbearable knowing they’re there, and we can’t do anything to help.”
The floods have cut off Burichang upazila, leaving residents without electricity, mobile networks, or relief supplies. “No boats or speedboats are getting through because of the strong currents,” Hossain said, his voice trembling. “I’m rescuing others, but I can’t save my own family. Please pray for us.”
The disaster began on Thursday night when the Gumti River embankment collapsed, flooding the area in a matter of hours. Mahmud Hassan, a resident of Feni, recounted the terrifying experience: “My house went under so fast. We didn’t get any warning at all. If my brother hadn’t found a boat, we wouldn’t have made it.”
Bangladesh, a nation crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers, often faces monsoon floods, but climate change is worsening these events. This year’s floods have disrupted business and damaged key infrastructure, including highways and railways between Dhaka and Chittagong.
The floods hit just weeks after the government of Sheikh Hasina was ousted by a student-led revolution on August 5. With Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus leading an interim government, many Bangladeshis are taking matters into their own hands. Students who led the protests are now organising relief efforts, collecting donations, and delivering supplies to those in need.
“Crowds came to Dhaka University on Friday to donate cash,” said one student volunteer. “We’re loading up rice and water to send to the hardest-hit areas. The country is in chaos, but we can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
Cox’s Bazar, which shelters nearly one million Rohingya refugees, is one of the worst-affected areas. Meanwhile, across the border in India’s Tripura state, 24 people have died due to the floods, according to local disaster officials.
With 285,000 people now living in emergency shelters, Bangladesh faces a long road to recovery from both the floods and recent political unrest. However, weather forecasts suggest that rain could ease in the coming days, offering a brief respite to the beleaguered nation.
